10 Mistakes You & Your Company Are Probably Making On Social Media

Social media is very necessary these days for the edification of most businesses, both big and small. It not only is a cost effective means of reaching current and potential customers, it can also aid in building the visibility and likeability of your brand. Numerous companies continue to engage the masses via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like in a beneficial manner, however, it is easy to get off course and make mistakes on these portals which can, in turn, hurt its brand and its bottom line in the long run.

The main reason you’re on social media is to share your voice with the world. You can’t be online every second of the day. Just remember to find the most qualified person or agency for the job and work together on strategy on an ongoing basis.

2. Getting Hacked

To prevent your account from being hacked, make sure that you have a creative password, use a social media management tool, and only allow access to certain individuals.

3. Getting Too Personal

Sharing your brand’s personality is essential, since it can help you stand out from other brands and gives followers an idea of the people behind the logo.

4. Not Creating Original Content

“You want to establish yourself as an authority figure in your industry, as well as engage your audience. But you can’t do that by rehashing the work of others,” says strategist John Rampton. That’s not to say that you can’t share relevant infographics, videos, or articles that have already been created. It just means you should be creating original content that is going to appeal to your specific audience. One of the world’s top DJs, Skrillex, is a perfect example of someone who does this. When you’re able to balance your original content with that of others, you’ll improve traffic, reach new visitors, and continue to establish yourself as an industry leader.

5. Hashtag Highjacking

Research has proven that images that include hashtags receive more likes than those without. However, you have to use hashtags with caution, especially when it comes to users hijacking your account. The easiest way to avoid this is by clearly defining your hashtag so that it will reach the right audience. Using generic keywords and hashtags can lead to the hashtag getting hijacked.

6. Paying for Fake Fans and Likes

It may seem like a great idea to boost the number of fans or retweets by purchasing them, but it can ultimately be detrimental to your brand.

7. Using Every Platform for the Sake of Using Them All

It’s not a bad idea to be on multiple social media platforms, but you don’t have to be on every single social network. For example, a law firm should have a LinkedIn and Facebook account, but does it need a Pinterest or Snapchat account?

8. Spamming Your Followers

Sharing content or statuses on a frequent basis is an absolute must, but you don’t want to overdo it. Eventually, followers will get tired of you flooding their social media accounts. So how often should you post to Facebook, Twitter, etc.? It’s going to vary based on your following size, the network’s own algorithms, and how active your followers are.

According to Buffer, here’s a breakdown:

• Twitter–14 times per day, from midnight to 10 p.m. Central Time, never more than once per hour. On weekends, 7 times per day, from 3 a.m. to 9 p.m., roughly every three hours.

• Facebook–2 times per day, 7 days a week, at 10:08 a.m. and 3:04 p.m.

• LinkedIn–1 time per day, 8:14 a.m., no weekends

• Google+–2 times per day, 9:03 a.m. and 7:04 p.m., no weekends

9. Not Using Management Tools

Managing all of your social media accounts can be a daunting and time-consuming process. This is when you can make use of social media management tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, SocialOomph, or Sprout Social to schedule content, collaborate with team members and monitor results.

10. Not Tracking Activity with Website Traffic, Goals, and ROI

Are your updates reaching the right people? Are they effective in driving traffic? Are your efforts bringing some kind of return on the investment? Without consistently monitoring these things, how are you able to see the effectiveness of your campaigns? Use tools like Viralheat, Spredfast, Sysomos, Sprout Social, and UberVU to monitor your campaigns. Google Analytics is another great resource to accomplish this task. And Social Media Examiner has a guide to help track your ROI.

Rashida Maples, Esq. is Founder and Managing Partner of J. Maples & Associates (www.jmaplesandassociates.com . She has practiced Entertainment, Real Estate and Small Business Law for 10 years, handling both transactional and litigation matters. Her clients include R&B Artists Bilal and Olivia, NFL Superstar Ray Lewis, Fashion Powerhouse Harlem’s Fashion Row and Hirschfeld Properties, LLC.